Brexitigious Mutterings

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Registered User

It seems like the brexiteers are practicing some secret kind of voodoo magic which is beyond me tbh. I really can't make any sense. Take the latest Eu achievement- the biggest world trade contract with Japan which took years to negotiate. I am not sure the Eu will let U.K. to trade freely with their partners, which is quite worried tbh.

Registered User

Registered User

….. “Do you know anyone who speaks with great certainty about everything? Someone who makes statements such as, “Wrong!” or “That’s ridiculous!” or “You're completely incorrect!” when someone disagrees with him or her?

Such people are often insufferable and are seldom genuinely liked. Their philosophy is “I think I know, therefore I absolutely know!” Or they declare, “My opinion is not just an opinion, it's a fact.”

Being right is very important to such people. Even when they are dead wrong, they don't let actual facts get in the way of their opinions. They fail to realize that there is a big difference between facts on the one hand, and truth, opinion, belief, taste, and preference on the other. Moreover, just because we dislike or disapprove of something does not make it wrong.

A fact can be tested or checked: Lincoln was born in 1809; that cereal contains 21 grams of sugar; the speed of light is 186,000 miles per second (in a vacuum). A belief, opinion, taste or preference cannot: corn tastes better than peas; long hair is more attractive than short hair; biking is more fun than swimming, etc.

What's more, truths and even cherished beliefs change while actual facts tend to remain the same. For example, 1,000 years ago when people stated the earth was flat, only a few thousand years old, and the center of the universe, they were speaking the "truth." Now we know our planet is spherical, 4.5 billion years old, and orbits a rather typical star which is but one of many billions in a galaxy which is itself but one of many billions in an expanding universe of unimaginable size. This is the "truth" of the current age and, more importantly, facts that are not likely to change much in the future.

…. Similarly, an "alternative fact" is just a feeble effort to promote what might be one's "truth" as an actual fact. In actuality, however, a fact is not a matter of opinion, it is an incontrovertible, verifiable reality that is grounded in objective evidence. It is arrived at precisely because the "alternatives" have been dis-proven.

Still, every person has a right to express opinions without being ridiculed or shouted down. It’s important to avoid attacking or labelling those who disagree with us.

Nevertheless, when not dealing with clear-cut facts, an emotionally intelligent person will say, “It seems to me… It’s my impression… I think… I believe… In my opinion….," rather than make emphatic declarations with absolute certainty.

Be on guard against people who say, in effect “You are wrong… I am right… You have no taste… You have no brains… You don’t know what’s good…. You don't know what you're talking about..."

If someone says to you “You have no taste” you can politely but assertively correct the person by saying “You mean your taste differs from my taste.” Hence, you are entitled to say “This may be a great painting but I don’t particularly like it!” But if you say “This painting is a disaster!” you’d better be a recognized art expert who is able to explain exactly why, in your opinion, that piece of art falls short."

Deviated Prevert

Interesting point that. One of the reasons that I'm happy that Ireland is in the EU is because I know that we are unfit to govern ourselves.
Since the foundation of the state we have had one or other of the two centre-right parties governing us. Neither have covered themselves in glory and have consistently proven that they are incompetent and self serving.
We have Fine Gael in power at the moment (just about) and they would be the lesser of two evils in my opinion but have their roots in the Blueshirts of the 1930's. Plenty of photos of them from the era giving Nazi salutes so that tells you where they come from.
Then we have Fianna Fáil. A political party who started a civil war, entered in to a trade war with the UK in the 1930's and bankrupt the country not once, but twice in my lifetime.
Since the crash of 2008 we have had the EU casting a very close eye on our finances to make sure that we never get ourselves in to the shit that we put ourselves in again. This is a very good thing because without this oversight we would continue to have politicians lying through their teeth and providing promises that can only be met at a great cost to society for generations.

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Poetic isn't it; that the bloke that bought in new rules which meant an employee couldn't claim unfair dismissal unless they had more than two years service was the bloke that ended up losing his own job.

Lalalala keep your head buried in sand leavers and those on triple lock pensions who just don’t give a shit about others losing their jobs .
Please keep on reminding remoaners that they’re snowflakes and they’re all trying to thwart Brexit if it makes you feel better .

Naneohyerpish!

Thanks to Mr Honda, eh? Talk about kicking a country in the head when it's down.... Of course, the EU Mafia played its part, agreeing to tariff free car imports from Japan to the EU and the Japanese have taken the protectionism route and who can blame them. The demise and further demise of the UK car industry is no-one's fault, but our own.